The Tarot Question

Photo by Joey Jacob on Unsplash

I’ve been playing with Tarot cards recently, and I noticed that asking the right question is surprisingly difficult. We come to the cards wanting answers, but we haven’t quite formulated the question yet. So at the beginning of the session, before we even touch the deck, there’s already some work happening.

It connects, for me, to my academic research. In academic research, half the work is figuring out how to ask a question that, if answered, would tell us exactly what we need to know (and also one that would get you published). You don’t start collecting data before the question is right. But asking a scientific question doesn’t involve facing your own emotions and assumptions.

When you do a Tarot reading, you come in with general worries. “I’m worried about my career” isn’t a question. It’s a cloud of angst. I think this cloud is actually our brain’s way of protecting us from clarity. Once we know, we can’t un-know, and knowing is uncomfortable. By the time we get to the question, the answer is already within it. I’m worried about my career is general. What is my next career move is a question that tells you that you want or need to move.